


All I Want For Christmas

by oakleyfraser4



Series: Chopped!The 100 Fanfic Challenge [3]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Coworkers AU, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Pillow & Blanket Forts, joke kiss turned into a real kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28337025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oakleyfraser4/pseuds/oakleyfraser4
Summary: Memori Christmas AU | Rated TTired of being single, Murphy decides to take matters into his own hands and get himself a girlfriend before the annual Christmas Day dinner with his friends. Having had bad luck in the past with girls - all twenty four of them - Murphy is determined to make the twenty-fifth, the “Christmas Day” number, his forever.Of course, this is easier said than done. When his fellow coworker, Emori, seems to be having similar problems and suggests them being each other’s “fake dates” to their Christmas parties in December, Murphy jumps at the chance. Fake dating is better than being totally alone, right? It appears that way, at least until Murphy starts to catch feelings; the ones that make you question everything you think you know. As their “fake feelings” start to become more real, Murphy realizes that Emori’s the one he wants for Christmas. But she’s got walls up and even though his heart doesn’t stand a chance, Murphy’s determined to break them down and show her what falling in love really means, maybe with the help of a little December magic thrown in.Loosely based on the Netflix movie “Holidate” but with a twist. There’s also some Zaven/Pilot Mechanic thrown in :)
Relationships: Bellamy Blake & John Murphy, Emori/John Murphy (The 100), John Murphy & Raven Reyes, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Raven Reyes/Miles Ezekiel Shaw
Series: Chopped!The 100 Fanfic Challenge [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011156
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11
Collections: Chopped: Holiday Trope Exchange





	All I Want For Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all, I'm back with another Memori one-shot! This is the longest and most complex one-shot I've ever attempted and when I tell you I spent a long time on this, I mean it. I wrote it for Chopped: The 100 Fanfic Challenge, Secret Santa Edition but anyone can enjoy it. Happy reading!
> 
> SECRET SANTA NOTE:  
> To whom this fic is for (that I do not know of yet),
> 
> If you know me at all, you know I can’t go posting a fic without an a/n. So here is my note to you.  
> No matter what you celebrate (though I’m going to guess Christmas), I wish you the happiest of holidays/celebrations. Writing you this fanfic has been an absolute dream and I really hope you like it.
> 
> -your Secret Santa, Oakley

Murphy hated being single. Like  _ hated _ hated it. The word oozed isolation and being alone and with it of course came the constant feeling of unhappiness. Being single was always played off as a temporary state, a state that no one wanted to be in for long. In every Hallmark movie, two single people managed to find each other in time for Christmas or New Year’s Eve or Easter or some other god-forsaken holiday.  _ Each and every time _ . As much as Murphy hated them and their predictability, he still sat down every Sunday night and watched the most recent Hallmark creation, mostly just to rub in the fact he was single, like salt to a wound.

It wasn’t like Murphy hadn’t attempted to put himself out there. He’d tried dating apps (which he despised, none of this swipe left or right bullshit thanks), going to bars on Friday nights (small talk was not his thing) and even let his best friends set him up with their co-workers/friends. Everything had failed and though Murphy had a pretty decent sized group of friends, none of them had anyone else left to set up Murphy with. Most of them had relationships now, which Murphy was definitely jealous about. He just wanted a girlfriend, that was it.

He wanted a girlfriend so badly that while over at Monty and Harper’s place one night, entertaining his “nephew” Jordan, he almost put it down on the Christmas list Jordan had forced him to write. Jordan, who was eight, had managed to convince his Uncle Murphy that Christmas lists do work when it comes to wishing. And Murphy, the stupid man he was, almost wrote down “girlfriend” before remembering it was really the parents who got what was on the list. With both his parents dead, no one was going to get him his much-wanted girlfriend for Christmas. So it became that Murphy was forced to find himself his own love interest. 

Before Murphy could ponder the idea further, there was a knock at his office door. He worked a simple desk job for a business called “Sanctum”. It was boring, yeah, but it paid the bills and that was all Murphy cared about at this point. He had a nice bonus waiting for him at the start of the new year and was hoping to use some of it to take his “Christmas girlfriend” out on dates.

Murphy snapped out his daydream and sat up straighter in his chair. “Come in,” he beckoned. 

A petite woman in her late twenties poked her head into his office. “Hi John, just dropping off the papers you wanted.” The woman smiled and approached his desk, a bundle of folders in her arms. 

“Oh thanks Emori.” Murphy smiled back. If there was one thing about Emori that Murphy knew, it was that she always managed to make him feel better, without saying much. Murphy actually knew more than one thing about Emori. He knew she had long dark hair that fell in waves and bright brown eyes. When she laughed the corners of eyes crinkled, which Murphy had noticed at office get-togethers earlier that year. What he also knew was that this was his coworker; someone who had been working with him for almost two years now. After he screwed up his one and only workplace romance, he swore he would never date a coworker again. Too much drama once the split happened. Emily, girlfriend number 8 of 24, had forced their fellow coworkers to pick sides and left poor Murphy with the janitor and his boss left on his side. In the end, Emily moved enterprises under a mysterious reasoning a month later, but things were still a bit tense with a couple coworkers over three years later.

Murphy realized Emori was still standing by his desk, after she had placed the folders down. “You got any plans for December and Christmas?” Murphy asked, trying to make some sort of conversation. 

Emori lifted a shoulder. “Not really. My mom’s forcing me to come to their Christmas Eve holiday party, where my brother will be showing off his successes. I’ll just be the kid with a regular degree and a regular secretary job in a regular office,” Emori said, with bitterness in her tone. She realized one a second later and ducked her head. “Sorry, I’m just tired of my mom treating me like a forlorn animal in need of a relationship to help her get by. Seriously, I think the nagging about improving my job would stop if I brought a guy home for the first time since Gideon dumped me.”

“I can relate to that.” He was greeted with a head tilt from Emori, who clearly wanted him to tell her what was on his mind. Murphy cleared his throat, a tad uneasy. He had never had such a deep conversation with anyone at work. He liked to keep his personal life and work life two very separate things. But this was Emori, the girl who brought him coffee on days with long meetings and stayed late when the photocopier jammed and they needed to reorder everything (which was more often than one would think). So Murphy sighed and said, “I’ve been trying to find myself a stable relationship for a long time. I’ve tried everything-yes everything-and literally have had no luck. I’ve dated twenty-four girls in my lifetime, and nineteen of them were within the last four years.”

Emori let out a low whistle. “Dang! I think I’ve only dated two guys in my life; Gideon was the second.” 

“Yeah, it’s been rough. I just need to stop fooling around with the girls that aren’t going to last, and find the right one.” He let out a chuckle, before telling her how he almost wrote down ‘girlfriend’ on his Christmas list. “Luckily I remembered that I was writing lists with an eight year old. ‘Girlfriend’ would look pretty stupid next to his asking for a monster truck.” 

Laughter rang out and Murphy looked up in time to catch the sight of Emori’s eyes crinkling at the corners. He quickly turned away before she noticed him staring at her. “If Santa really brings you a girlfriend, let me know. I need to know why the non-overprotective parents wish I’ve been making for the past few years hasn’t come true yet.” 

“Okay, I will.” There was a moment of silence, then Murphy realized he completely forgot to tell Bellamy he was able to make it on Christmas Day Eve for their annual turkey dinner. “One second,” he told Emori, grabbing his phone and typing out a response.

His group of friends were the only truly good thing in Murphy’s life. He had met them in a college support group for kids with absentee or deceased parents. Murphy’s dad died when he was ten and his mom abused him until she drank herself to death when Murphy was eighteen. The support group was supposed to make them talk about their feelings and have people to relate to. All it was was an opportunity to meet other kids as messed up as Murphy, and you better believe most of them dated each other at some point. Monty and Harper were the only ones who didn’t hook up with anyone else, and had a shotgun wedding at twenty when they realized they were pregnant. Over the years, their group had gotten bigger, as girlfriends, boyfriends, wives and husbands were added to the mix. What started out as a six person group had now doubled, and then some. The chaoticness of the group was nice, especially when they managed to take Murphy’s mind off his failed relationships. 

He turned his phone face down on the desk after hitting ‘send’ and turned back. Emori also put down her cell, the one she had been typing furiously on at the same time. “My mom just messaged saying that Otan got another raise at work. And he’s bringing a girl home for Christmas. This Christmas Eve stuff just keeps getting better and better.” 

Murphy sighed again but louder. “My friends are all either dating someone or married. I’m like the only one single and honestly, it’s kinda taxing. Especially at my best friend’s holiday party, the one she holds for all her clients and friends the weekend before Christmas. All our friends go just to humour her, but some of her clients and coworkers are so nosy. They ask me every year why I haven’t gotten married yet.”

“Mhm.” Emori nodded, understanding Murphy’s situation completely. “If only there was a way for us to magically find someone to go with us to these silly holiday functions. It wouldn’t even have to go anywhere afterwards. We pretend we’re dating for what, two nights? And then we would just never have to see that person again.”

The gears in Murphy’s head were turning in an instant. Emori’s wish, though crazy was doable, with some changes made. “Why don’t we be each other’s dates for Christmas?” He blurted out.

“What?” Emori turned her head so fast that her curls swished and changed their position.

Murphy hurried to explain, afraid he scared off Emori. The idea made so much sense in his head, he just had to tell her. “It’s perfect. We pretend to be each other’s dates for two nights. We’re already friends, right? Add hand holding and maybe one or two kisses, and you’ve got a relationship. I’ll tell my friends the truth, and get them to back me up at the party, so that all the annoying old lady clients leave me alone. And you can take me home to your parents Christmas Eve so that your brother isn’t the only one with someone to gush over. Even though my parents died ages ago, I’m great with someone else’s parents.”

Emori was slowly catching onto Murphy’s elaborate idea. “Okay, I totally get it. After Christmas, we go back to just being friends, like we are right now.” 

“Yep.” Murphy nodded in confirmation. Fake dating then going back to being friends wouldn’t be breaking his “no dating coworkers rule” because they wouldn’t  _ really _ be dating. The only problem was that it wasn’t going to fix Murphy’s wish for Christmas. Although this was a chance for them both to avoid the “why are you still single questions” and at least make the holidays a bit less lonely. If anything Murphy knew he and Emori would have fun this Christmas.

Emori stuck out her hand. “It’s a deal. You text me where I need to be and what I need to bring for your best friend’s holiday party, and I’ll send you stuff about my parents’ house.”

“Okay.” Murphy accepted her handshake and they sealed their pact. He watched as she headed towards his door, kind of shocked that a simple folder-drop-off had gotten him a date-though fake-to Raven’s god-awful Christmas party. Though Murphy would always be Murphy and his cocky self got the best of him. “Hey Emori, no matter what we’re going back to just being friends after the holidays. Even though you might want more, I don’t date coworkers.”

It seemed as though Emori was his perfect match, for she looked over her shoulder and winked. “Don’t worry, you’re not really my type. But I’ll remember what you just said to me now when you fall for my wit and charm. Two nights is all you need to fall in love with  _ this _ ,” she said, gesturing up and down her body, which Murphy had to admit was nice. The skirt she wore hugged her curves in all the right places and her slightly see-through white blouse left nothing to his imagination. His lips parted a little as he remembered who he was staring at.  _ His coworker _ . 

Emori laughed and flapped her hand at him as she left his office. Murphy tugged at his tie and shook his head. What on Earth had he gotten himself into?

~

December twenty-first was the night of Raven’s stupid holiday party. Murphy had texted Emori the information days prior: he’d pick her up at seven, she was supposed to wear something festive but classy and preferably heels. The party wasn’t supposed to be over until one a-m and because Emori lived across the city, Murphy offered up his couch for her to crash on afterwards. Emori had replied and said she would be ready, reminding him that just because she would sleep over, did not mean they would be sleeping together in case he had forgotten. The cheeky reply made Murphy smirk, which was a completely normal response. Unfortunately at the time he had been getting coffee with Bellamy who demanded to know what had been said to make his previously disheartened friend smile. After begrudgingly handing over his cell, Bellamy proceeded to warn Murphy not to catch feelings for this Emori person. Murphy, after promising he wouldn’t because he doesn’t date coworkers, pocketed the phone. He had texted their original six group chat about Emori and told them to act like they had been dating for a couple months now. Everyone had agreed without much fuss. It was mostly Raven who asked questions, and then proceeded to stalk Emori on Instagram. 

Though Murphy didn’t own any green shirts, he did have a pale green tie. That was as festive as John Murphy ever got. The holidays were never something Murphy really loved as growing up his mom was always drunk and his dad didn’t make enough for them to afford much in the way of gifts. Murphy’s five-figure paycheck each year was more than his parents had made in five. He supposed he was lucky, especially to be able to afford gifts for his friends every year.

At six-thirty, Murphy grabbed the keys to his Volvo and opted to take the stairs to the car park instead of the elevator. He sent a quick text to Emori that he was on his way and started his drive across town to where Emori lived. She was two years younger but managed to live on the upper side of town. While Murphy’s apartment was small but modern, Emori’s was large with tons of room and floor space. Simple but cosy, Murphy thought to himself. It had his seal of approval. She lived alone as well, which was a recent thing apparently. Over brunch days earlier, where they sorted out their fake relationship story, she had mentioned that her roommate got engaged and moved out, leaving Emori to pay the last couple months’ rent all on her own. Murphy offered to help her out but Emori said it wasn’t much more than normal because her roommate hadn’t ever really picked up the bills. 

Murphy parked his car outside the apartment complex and pressed the call button for Emori’s building. “Guess who,” he said, when she picked up. 

“I wonder,” Emori replied with a laugh. “Come up, I’m just putting my lipstick on.” There was a buzz, and Murphy lunged for the door. He pulled it open and headed for Emori’s door.

The number on Emori’s door was one-six-nine. Murphy’s was two-eight-five. Both added up to fifteen, not that Murphy was paying attention. Or cared. His hands were smushed deep into his pockets when Emori pulled the door open. “Hey, what’s u-” 

Murphy froze when he saw the get-up Emori had put on for tonight. A silk red dress hugged her figure, accenting where her waist and hips indented and gave a nice highlight on Emori’s bust, which Murphy noted to be something magnificent. Though not revealing the dress did show off a bit of cleavage, something Murphy was not prepared for. He was used to work-Emori who was all pencil skirts and buttoned up blouses. Festive-Emori was something out of a magazine and Murphy was instantly smitten.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He could admire Emori’s outfit but definitely not think about her in it. They were fake dating and nothing more. Two nights, then back to being friends. Although Murphy couldn’t help but enjoy the fact that tonight people would think that this was his girlfriend. This smoking hot woman was choosing to fake-date him. Looking like that, she could have any guy. Why this Gideon had dumped her, Murphy had no idea. Especially if she had ever dressed up like this for him.

Emori watched Murphy’s gaze travel up her body and she couldn’t help but feel blush spill over her cheeks. “You like?” she asked cheekily, trying to cover up for whatever she had felt a moment ago. 

“Yeah.” Murphy’s reply was breathier than planned. Quickly straightening up, it was only now that Murphy realized they needed to go. “I left the car on the curb. We better leave before I get towed.”

“Oh yeah.” Emori grabbed her black clutch (which matched perfectly), slipped on black heels (which also matched perfectly) and picked up the duffel bag off the floor. “For later,” she said, when Murphy raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Right.” He followed her downstairs and even acted like a boyfriend by holding all the doors open for her. Emori smiled at him and let him take her bag for her when they reached the car. 

“Such a gentleman,” she teased, as he closed the car door for her.

“Only the best for my girlfriend,” Murphy replied. He winked and they took off, towards the plaza where Raven’s party would be held.

On the way, Murphy and Emori went over their fake story another time, to make sure things wouldn’t get screwed up. “We met at work, obviously,” Emori began. 

“You were too scared to give me a hint and I was getting over last year’s relationship.”

“While working late before Thanksgiving, we bonded and you kissed me as we parted ways…”

“...the next day at work we talked and announced we were dating to our friends and family. We’ve been dating for just over a month and are more in love each day.” Murphy finished. 

“Fool proof tale if you ask me,” Emori said.

Nodding, Murphy turned left towards the inner part of the city. “You bet.”

The pair talked about basic things for the rest of the drive. Sure they worked together, but a desk job wasn’t exactly the place to hear about someone’s likes and dislikes. Murphy liked talking to Emori because she never judged his answers and always had something supportive to add. She didn’t ask anything about his deceased parents which was a first; normally girls he went out with focused on that and fed him the sympathy he did not want. Though Emori and him weren’t actually on a date, they were just stand-ins for two separate holiday parties. That was it.

At the plaza, a well dressed man in his early twenties was waiting at the door to greet those attending Raven’s event. Emori was a bit stunned as Murphy brushed past those in line and waltzed right past the usher, only saying his name once. Emori was even more surprised when no one stopped him, and he pulled her into the party less than twenty seconds after they had arrived. She opened her mouth to make a comment, when Murphy was tackled in a hug by a woman about Emori’s height. 

“Murphy!” The woman exclaimed with a smile. She wore a flattering black dress with a slit up the side, her long brown curls falling over her shoulders.

There was a man standing next to her, a bit more reserved but happy to see Murphy all the same. “Hey man,” he said, sticking out his hand for Murphy to shake. 

Emori stood quietly, unsure of how to act when the woman noticed her. “You must be Emori,” she said, and pulled Emori in for a hug of her own. “I’ve heard so much about you.” 

“Oh have you?” Emori instantly liked this woman. “Hopefully good things only, as John tends to complain about work I’ve noticed.” 

“Doesn’t he? It’s a pain because nothing interesting ever comes out of his mouth.” The woman laughed and then realized she hadn’t introduced herself. “I’m Raven Reyes, the show runner of this event. Tonight I might be called The Demon, because all my friends hate that I force them to come to this party every year. Ignore whatever you hear.” 

Emori laughed too. “Alright, I will. I’m Emori, but you already knew that.”

Raven nodded. “Yep! Murphy mentioned he was bringing some chick from work. Apparently the guests and clients ribbed him one too many times over the years about being single at Christmas. Unfortunately for him, all the rest of our friends seem to get a date to this thing no matter what.” 

The man with Raven turned to face Emori as well. He had short hair and tan skin like Raven’s. “Hey, I’m Miles Shaw, Raven’s boyfriend of the month. You can call me Shaw though.” 

Accepting his outstretched hand, Emori smiled. “Of the month? Are there others?”

“No, Shaw’s just messing with you.” Raven smacked his arm. “We’ve been dating for three years and all I’m waiting for is the doofus to pop the question. Any day now would be nice,” she said with an eye roll in Shaw’s direction. 

Murphy, who Emori suddenly remembered was next to her, nudged Shaw. “I would run if I were you. Once you get legal stuff involved with Reyes, you’re stuck with her forever.”

“Shut up Murphy.” Raven slugged Murphy in the arm, harder than she had Shaw moments earlier. 

“Didn’t know you had so much sass in you,” Emori commented. She winked at Raven. Teasing her coworker was something she loved to do, and if Raven did the same, Emori knew that they would get along just fine. 

“Oh shush.” Murphy said, but he was smiling at her. Emori blushed under his warm gaze and quickly distracted herself by grabbing two glasses of champagne from a passing server. She slid one across the small table to Murphy then took a sip.

Raven told Murphy to chug back his drink, but he shook his head. “I’m the designated driver tonight. Gotta keep somewhat sober. Emori, you can drink whatever you want.” 

Emori tipped back her glass and set it back on the table. She couldn’t remember the last time had drank with friends, let alone gotten drunk. “I may just hold you to that.” 

Everyone laughed. Raven excused herself and Shaw so that they could go talk to other guests, leaving just Emori and Murphy alone. Murphy slid a glance over at Emori, watching her survey the room in wonder. He enjoyed just watching her. The way the lights danced in her eyes, and her slightly turned up smile, well that could melt a guy’s heart. 

_ Not mine _ , he scolded himself. Emori was off limits. He needed to stop finding her so attractive.

Luckily their friends kept them busy for the next hour, as Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin arrived. While Bellamy kept embarrassing Murphy, Clarke played peacekeeper between her boyfriend and Murphy. Josephine Lightbourne and Gabriel Santiago came by too, but it was obvious Josie-what Murphy told Emori to call her-was drunk and it was all Gabriel could do to keep her moving. Emori liked Harper McIntyre and Monty Green, who had stopped by for a few hours. Their son, Jordan Green, was being babysat by Octavia Blake, Bellamy’s younger sister. As Levitt, Octavia’s boyfriend, was unavailable tonight, Octavia had pronounced herself the babysitter because there was “no way in hell” she would attend The Demon’s party without a significant other. Emori couldn’t understand why, as no one had come over to nose their way into the friend group yet. Murphy grabbed her hand occasionally though, when he noticed someone watching. She at first was confused, then realized a few people were staring.

“Play along,” he whispered in her ear. Emori nodded quickly and leaned back against Murphy as best she could without looking awkward. Until recently the pair had never touched, let alone held hands and initiated intimate contact. A new door had opened and Emori wasn’t sure she would be able to go back to coworker mode after their two nights were up. 

By the time eleven o’clock rolled around, Emori’s head was swimming with more than just alcohol. She had met all of Murphy’s friends, as the last of them showed up around ten. She immediately clicked with Ash, who shared Emori’s sense of style. Hope, Ash’s girlfriend of six months, was more trendy and wore a suit jacket with chunky heels and dress pants. She was four years younger than her girlfriend but that didn’t phase her. It seemed as though Ash was the less mature one, compared to Hope’s no-nonsense demeanor. Once they left to make their rounds, Murphy reassured Emori that Hope was actually the most affectionate and lovable one in the group; you just had to get to know her.

It was around eleven that guests to Raven’s party started prying Murphy and his friends about their lives. Why, Emori had no idea. But she thought she did a good job playing the role of Murphy’s girlfriend. Though fake, slipping her hand into his and leaning her head against his shoulder felt comfortable. The guests were pushy and demanded practically all the gossip about Emori and Murphy’s “relationship”.

One woman was particular into the gossip and leaned forward, beckoning Emori to do the same. “How’s he in bed?” She asked, all serious. Emori was so shocked she said nothing at first. 

Eventually she found her tongue and told the lady that it was just fine, though it was none of her business. Murphy had noticed Emori was uneasy and excused the pair of them. As soon as they had parted, Murphy moved his lips near Emori’s ear. “What did she ask?”

“How the sex was,” Emori answered, shuddering. “I prepared myself for nosy people but not that intrusive.”

Murphy held back a laugh at Emori’s shock. He was used to the questions that circled every year, but they never seemed to let up. “I hope you told her it was the best you’ve ever had,” he said with a smirk. 

“Oh yeah.” Emori rolled her eyes and let Murphy press a soft kiss to her temple. In the end, they would laugh about this night over coffee in the office after they went back in the New Year.

Murphy looked up and noticed that the same excessively nosy woman was starting towards the again. “Quick, kiss me,” he told Emori.

“What?” Emori barely registered what Murphy had asked, before she felt her body take over and she stood on her tippy toes to kiss Murphy.

It was really just a reason for the woman to leave them alone. But as Emori began to pull away, she felt Murphy’s hand cup her face and keep her lips pressed flush against his. She let out a small sigh and relaxed. When they finally pulled apart, heat coursed under Emori’s skin and she wondered if Murphy felt the same. There was blush on his cheeks, but Emori blamed it on the fact that Bellamy was not standing next to them and was teasing him. She wiped her lips on her arm and reached out for another glass of champagne. It was just a kiss that meant absolutely nothing. At least that was what Emori told herself as Murphy grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers while talking to Bellamy and Clarke.

Just before midnight, Raven and Shaw came back over with the rest of their friend group in tow. Apparently at twelve there was a big toast and it was only after that that people could start leaving. Murphy had planned to stick around until one to make sure he stayed in Raven’s good books. She always based how good of a Christmas present she got her friends after surveying their behaviour at her party.

“You gotta do it man,” Murphy said at one point, leaning over to direct his words right at Shaw. He knew his best friend better than anyone else. Raven Reyes was in love with Shaw and he was in love with her. They had been for forever, it seemed. It seemed only right that they sealed the deal with a wedding.

Shaw didn’t say anything, but he gave Murphy a look. Suddenly the clock struck midnight and streamers shot out and rained down on the crowd, which made everyone start to cheer. More champagne was passed out and there was a mad rush as everyone struggled to clink their glass with everyone else. Murphy finally gave up and said a group cheers would suffice. They did just that, and then gulped down the alcohol.

It wasn’t until Murphy noticed Shaw had disappeared that he wondered what the heck was going on. Then he looked up and saw said man standing next to the small podium set up in front of the giant bay windows. A microphone was set up, and Shaw tapped it twice to get everyone’s attention. “Ahem, if I could have everyone’s attention please, that would be great.” The room quickly quieted down, leaving Murphy to reach for Emori’s hand but making sure to keep his gaze on Raven. She was clearly surprised and just as confused as to what was happening. The time for speeches was long over, she thought. Shaw cleared his throat again, then said, “If you all could help me welcome Raven Reyes to the stage, that would be great.”

Clapping rang out, as Raven walked towards her boyfriend. “Haha, thanks everyone,” she said with a confused laugh. 

When she was only a few steps away, Shaw jumped off the podium riser, microphone in hand, and took Raven’s in his other. The whole room gasped as he slowly sunk to one knee and stared up at the girl he loved. “Raven, I know you’ve been asking me to do this for months now, practically since we started dating. When we first met, I was a nervous wreck who could barely talk to a girl. Somehow I ended up with the best, most prettiest girl in the world loving me. I love you and I know you love me, without even saying it. Raven Reyes, will you do me the immense honour of being my wife?”

You could hear a pin drop, the room was so silent as they waited for Raven’s answer. Emori had a hand over her mouth as she watched Raven’s face. There was nothing but pure joy and love etched into her features as she nodded and started to pull Shaw towards her. “Yes.” 

Everyone erupted. Shaw dropped the mic and spun Raven around in his arms, delighted beyond measure. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring but it didn’t matter; Raven just wanted to kiss her future husband. Tears of joy rolled down Raven’s cheeks and she refused to let go of Shaw. It was so clear that they were in love and though Emori was over the moon happy for her new friends, she couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. 

Murphy, on the other hand, was overly jealous but still excited for his best friend. He fist bumped Shaw and demanded to know how and why he chose tonight of all times. Shaw explained that he knew the annual Christmas party was the least expected place for him to propose, and based on Raven’s response, he was right. All their friends oohed and aahed over the ring, excited to talk more on Christmas Day.

It was past one when Murphy finally decided he and Emori should leave. She had spent the last hour perching on his knee sipping more champagne and he was starting to wear out. He’d only had two half glasses of alcohol so he was perfectly capable of driving. Besides, he only lived five minutes away. Goodbyes were said, then Murphy and Emori headed out.

Unlike Murphy, Emori had drank a lot more and was ready to pass out the second they got in the door. She darted into the bathroom to change, and Murphy gulped back some water while he waited for his turn to pee. It had been awhile since a girl had stayed over but Murphy didn’t mind Emori being there. They had had fun tonight, and had a successful first night of fake-dating. 

Emori came out of the bathroom in sweats and an oversized t-shirt, her red dress packed into her bag. “Goodnight,” she said, as she passed Murphy. 

Murphy, who had shown Emori the bed he’d made for her earlier, smiled. “Goodnight.” Then he disappeared into the bathroom to do his business. 

When he came out, he still felt wired after all the chaos that had taken place that night. Slumping into his chair, he turned the TV in his living room on, though making sure to have it quiet while Emori slept. He needn’t have worried however, as Emori was out like a light the second her head hit the pillow. Murphy surfed his taped shows and settled on a cooking contest with Christmas themed tasks. He wished he could cook like the contestants but growing up poor he hadn’t ever had the opportunity to use kitchen appliances besides a microwave and stove.

By the time three rolled around, Murphy was slowly shutting down. He turned off the TV and just stared into the silence. Emori’s sleeping form caught his attention and though it was kinda creepy, he just watched her. Watched as her chest rose and fell with every breath, watched as her lips turned into a sweet smile without her even trying. She wasn’t wearing anymore makeup, but she still was drop-dead gorgeous. She was everything Murphy wanted but he couldn’t have her. Why? Because she was his coworker and Murphy didn’t date coworkers. 

Just then, his phone went off, the shrill ringtone cutting through the silence like a knife. Murphy quickly accepted the FaceTime call, just to make the noise stop. He hoped it hadn’t woken Emori but she didn’t flinch once. He sighed with relief and focused his attention on the screen in front of him. 

“Hey Raven, Bellamy,” Murphy said, when he saw that both of them were calling him at the same time.

“Is Emori with you?” Bellamy asked, without saying hi first. 

Murphy flicked a glance at the girl in question. “Yeah she is. But she’s asleep. Why?”

“Good. Raven, take it away.” 

Raven, though just engaged, was clearly still the same best friend she had always been. Always as nosy as some of her guests and wanting to get into Murphy’s business. “Murphy you’re falling for Emori.”

“What, no I’m not.” Murphy quickly said, though the excuse sounded lame even to his own ears. 

Bellamy rolled his eyes. “Yes you are. You’ve never been as into a girl as you were into Emori tonight. And I don’t want to hear any of your “we’re only fake dating” bullshit. I bet you treated tonight as though it weren’t pretend.”

Murphy didn’t say anything. What was the point? Clearly his friends had made up their minds. Though he disagreed, Murphy had learned over the years not to tell Bellamy and Raven that. “Okay. Look, I’d love to continue having this conversation with you but it’s past three. We can continue on Christmas Day, alright?”

“Fine,” both Raven and Bellamy said together.

“Bye, I’ll talk to you later.” Murphy said. “But for the record, I’m not ever going to date Emori and you know why? Because I don’t date coworkers.” He quickly hit end call and tossed his phone onto the table. It was late and he was now exhausted, long past ready for bed.

As Murphy headed to his room, he was hit with a sinking feeling; he was falling in love with Emori. He'd been chasing off that feeling all night, but of course it wouldn't listen. It wasn't just the passionate kiss they'd shared that Murphy had originally issued as a reason to scare off the nosy lady. No, it was much more than that. John Murphy liked his coworker, Emori. And there was nothing he could do about it. He hated to admit it but what he had said to Bellamy and Raven about not dating Emori was simply a cover up. He wanted to date her. He wanted everything with her.

On Christmas Eve, he would have to play a loving boyfriend for Emori's parents. He would have to  _ act _ with Emori and say cutesy things that would win over her parents. While really, all he wanted was to be saying those things for real. This is why Murphy didn’t date coworkers. Because once his heart got in the way, his head was never the same. Christmas Eve was going to be interesting. 

~

“Mom, Dad, I’m here!” Emori called out loudly, opening the door to a modest old-fashioned house. Murphy hadn’t quite noticed this was Emori’s parents’ place, the home she grew up, in when they pulled into the driveway. It seemed too fancy compared to Emori’s simplistic apartment. The drive alone had left them winding through snowy country roads. When Emori had told him she grew up on the outskirts of town, she really did mean the outskirts of town. 

A fair skinned woman with light hair came towards them, a smile on her face. “Emori, how wonderful it is to see you!”

Emori hugged the woman, and then peered over her shoulder. “Where’s Dad?”

“Right here.” A man who looked very similar to Emori in size and facial structure came around the corner. He enveloped his daughter in a long overdue hug. 

Murphy smiled to himself as he watched Emori greet her parents. On the drive, which had taken over forty minutes, Emori had told Murphy about her family. Otan was the successful business dealer and four years older. He had a new girlfriend every year it seemed, though his line of suitors never let up. Emori’s father was the quiet type and he got along best with his daughter. Emori’s mother was more judgemental and only wanted what was best for her daughter, which wasn’t always what Emori had in mind. She would apparently be the most difficult to handle tonight, if Emori’s predictions were correct. Even though watching the family dynamic was bittersweet, Murphy couldn’t help but be pleased to be included.

They had also listened to the radio and sung Christmas carols. Murphy wouldn’t consider himself Broadway-worthy, but he was loads better than Emori. It was almost like she purposely tried to hurt his ears. She had smiled over at him mid song at one point and Murphy did his best to smile back without cringing. It was cute how much she got into the Christmas spirit and for that, Murphy would never tell her how much he hated her singing voice. 

“And this must be John, the man we’ve heard so much in the last few days. Nothing before that, however,” Emori’s mother added under her breath. 

Murphy, who was good at winning people over for the most part, stuck out his hand and plastered on a smile. “Hey, I’m John Murphy, but you can call me Murphy.”

“Why on Earth would I call you by your last name?” asked Emori’s mother, turning up her nose slightly in disdain.

Emori nudged him with her elbow and let out a short laugh. “He insists on being called Murphy. Of course, I haven’t listened and call him John. But everyone else calls him Murphy. Like everyone.”

It was Emori’s father who moved first. He took Murphy’s outstretched hand and shook it tightly. “I’m Nic, it’s a pleasure to finally meet the man who’s stolen our daughter’s heart. You be careful with it, mind you. The last guy she gave it to took it and chewed it real good, before spitting out the remains into the trash.”

Murphy gulped. What a pleasant image. The Gideon story had only been told once, and Emori had cringed the whole time she talked about what the idiot did. Apparently he’d had an affair on her for most of their relationship, with his best friend’s ex of all people. Emori had found them in bed together one night when he’d said he was sick and that was the end of that. Though Gideon had been the one to dump Emori, because she was too shocked to say anything. No one but Murphy knew the real truth about how things went down, and Emori made him promise never to tell anyone if he wanted to remain alive.

Nic finally let go of Murphy’s hand and let out a laugh. “I’m kidding. Nice to meet you, Murphy.”

Murphy tried to laugh too. “You too.”

Emori’s mom didn’t accept his hand but nodded. “Nice to meet you, John,” she said, ignoring his wishes of what to be referred to (Murphy didn’t mind if Emori called him John, but only her). “My name is Olga.” 

“Nice to meet you,” said Murphy, attempting to match Olga’s politeness. 

Emori sensed the awkwardness and grabbed Murphy’s hand. “I’ll show John my old bedroom, when we wait for Otan,” she said. Without another word, Emori towed Murphy upstairs.

As they climbed, Murphy leaned over and said, “Your parents don’t seem that bad. I mean, the comment from your dad was kinda unnecessary but I was expecting worse.” Murphy believed Emori when she told him that her parents-especially her mom-were mean, though so far he hadn’t noticed anything particularly cruel take place.

“You just wait. They seem all okay, but once my brother gets here it gets worse. My dad’s actually better than my mom.”

Murphy took Emori’s word for it and instead swiveled his head to take in his surroundings. Paintings and sculptures littered the walls. Emori had told him that her parents liked to collect art, and that it was mostly her who fed their obsession. Even though Otan made the most, he couldn’t be bothered to splurge for his parents very often. The walls were a light burgundy red, with white trim between the hardwood floors and the wall. Murphy liked the sense of style but it wasn’t for him. He liked his greys back at home more. 

“This is my room,” Emori announced, as she pushed open the door at the very end of the hall, on the right. “Welcome.” 

Murphy stepped inside and was met with a room that mimicked Emori’s entire lifestyle. Hardly any furniture filled the large space, leaving room for Emori to stretch out on the floor to do whatever she wished. There was a twin bed in the far corner with a white comforter and two pillows. Light pink butterflies painted on the wall were the only splash of colour, and even they were mostly white. Murphy liked Emori’s taste instantly. 

What made him laugh, though, was the blanket fort that sat untouched against the wall opposite the window. It looked like something teenage Emori had made, and was quite carefully planned out. “Why did you take that down?” Murphy asked, pointing to the obvious obstruction. 

Emori lifted a shoulder but she was smiling. “Never got around to it on my few stays home this year. It’s quite elaborate, want me to show you?”

“Sure.” Murphy stepped into Emori’s room and crouched down outside the fort. Emori plugged something into the wall socket, and suddenly the fort lit up.

“The fairy lights are something I rigged up and they’re actually strategically placed. Which is why I don’t want to destroy it,” Emori explained. 

“It’s amazing.” Even though Emori’s fort was a tad childish, it was still amazing. Murphy marveled over the pillows and fluffy carpet inside and the way the lights created a romantic glow against the blanket fabric.

Emori blushed, pleased by the compliment. The few times she had tried to show Gideon her fort, he had brushed her off and told her it was dumb. Even though she and Murphy were only fake-dating, she could tell he cared more than Gideon ever had. “Thanks,” she said. 

Taking one last look inside, Murphy let the flap drop and stood up, stretching out his legs. “So when’s Otan and his new girlfriend coming?”

“Anytime now.” Emori peered out her window and then sighed. “I see them in the driveway, which means they’re here now.” 

“Any last words?” Murphy asked jokingly, as they left Emori’s room and turned off the overhead light. She kept the fairy lights on though. 

Emori rolled her eyes. “Brace yourself. My brother thinks he’s all high and mighty because my parents grovel at his feet. So he has an excuse for his behaviour; my parents made him like that.”

“Great,” Murphy said sarcastically. He quickly reached for Emori’s hand and gave it a squeeze, as they waited on the stairs to greet Emori’s brother.

She squeezed back, and couldn’t help noticing her mom watched them carefully. Though Olga didn’t have any time to comment, as the door opened and Otan burst in. “Ho ho ho,” he called into the house.

“Otan!” Olga barely let her son get one foot inside the door before she wrapped him in a tight hug. 

“Oof. Hey Mom.” Otan let his mother hug him, then pulled away to greet his father. Nic reached out his arms and Otan accepted the brief contact.

“How’s my most successful child? Come in, the cold isn’t good for you. Can’t have you being sick,” Olga fussed, pulling Otan into the house. Murphy raised an eyebrow at her words; already Emori’s mother was shaping up to be as bad as Emori had said. Though Murphy needed to be pleasant because he was pretending to be Emori’s boyfriend who had just met her parents for the first time.

Otan came in with a girl attached to his right hand. “This is Allie. Allie, this is my mom, my dad and my sister.” His gaze finally shifted upwards and settled on Emori. Murphy held his breath, wondering if Otan would notice him as well. 

Allie was something out of a model magazine. She had long legs, long black hair and wore extremely red lipstick. Her coat, which Murphy guessed was designer, nipped in and proved that Allie had an  _ extremely _ thin waist. Murphy had to refrain from leaning over and telling Emori that Allie could stand to eat an entire turkey to herself; it looked like she needed the carbs. 

Murphy preferred girls like Emori. Girls who could rock a dress but looked nice in jeans and a sweater, which was Emori’s current attire. Girls that were “normal” and didn’t have pencil thin figures or wore ridiculously high heels for no reason. Murphy liked Emori. No wait that wasn’t allowed. He quickly rephrased, he liked girls  _ like  _ Emori. Not Emori exactly, but Emori to be specific. No that didn’t work either-

Murphy snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Otan address him. “I didn’t know my kid sister was going to bring a guy home. Though Gideon broke her heart too much.” 

“Yes, well we were all surprised when we got the text.” Olga made a noise in the back of her throat. “That’s John but he prefers to be called Murphy like the hooligan he is.” 

Emori’s nails dug into Murphy’s hand though he wasn’t as bothered as Emori clearly was. “Nice to meet you,” he said politely. 

Otan blew him off and tugged Allie down the hall with him. “When’s dinner?”

“Right now,” Olga hurried to pass Otan on the way to the kitchen. “I made all your favourites. Only the best for my perfect angel boy.”

Nic coughed loudly, almost too much of a coincidence with the timing of Olga’s comment, but motioned for Emori and Murphy to sit at the pre-set table. Emori let go of Murphy’s hand to sit down, keeping a tight-lipped smile plastered on her face. Otan sat at the head of the table, with Allie to his left and Olga to his right. Nic took the other head, which left Murphy and Emori across from each other. To save Emori, Murphy picked the seat next to Olga. Maybe it would give him a chance to win over his fake girlfriend’s mom. Although there was really no point, as Olga only had eyes and ears for her son. 

The meal was classic; roast beef, mashed potatoes and asparagus. Emori picked at her food because she wasn’t used to eating such rich textures. As an office secretary, she didn’t really ever find the need to eat out and when she did, Emori resorted to a hearty burger instead of roast beef. She looked across the table at her fake boyfriend, who seemed to be enjoying the meal. There was that at least. Emori could always count on Murphy to make things better. 

Olga asked all about Otan’s job and the payroll which now was at seven figures. Murphy made the mistake to ask if that was annual, leaving him with glares from both Olga and Otan. “No, that’s per month,” Otan said snootily. Murphy’s fork stopped mid air, as he stared at Otan.  _ A seven figure paycheck per month? _ That was crazy and way more than Murphy would earn in five years, maybe even a decade.

After Otan had told everyone each detail about his work, Olga (with Nic chiming in at times) moved onto asking Allie about how she met Otan. Apparently they were introduced at an event and Otan just had to know the glamorous Allie better, so he asked her on a date for the following week. “Our first date was a private river cruise,” Allie gushed. Murphy washed back some mashed potatoes with a sip of water, wondering if there was anything about Otan that Allie actually liked, besides his money. 

“Our first date was fancy dinner in the city,” Emori butted in. “John picked the place and surprised me. It was  _ very _ romantic.” 

Wiping his mouth, Murphy nodded. “Yep, that’s what happened. I kissed her at midnight and then we spent the rest of the night cruising the town in my, um, Tesla.” If Emori could lie, so could he. Technically their whole relationship was a lie but Murphy wasn’t to dwell on that. 

Otan, who hadn’t been listening at all until Murphy mentioned he had a Tesla, looked up. “Which model?”

“I’m sorry what?” Murphy was taken aback. Gabriel liked cars and had mentioned that a Tesla was one of the newest and best. He hadn’t said there was  _ more than one model _ . “I have the main one. I mean the original,” he scrambled to say. 

“You don’t have a Tesla,” Otan snorted with laughter. “You’re just a desk job businessman, I know that because Emori said you and her met at work where she’s got a low-life of a secretary job. The only way you could afford a Tesla, would be if you stole one. Did you steal one?”

“No, of course not!” Murphy shook his head. He had been dirt poor growing up, but after his father had been arrested and later killed for stealing, Murphy swore he was never going to go down the same path Otan was barking up the wrong tree, and Murphy needed to calm down before he did something he was going to regret.

Otan laughed again, and Olga tried to chuckle with him. Everyone else stared down at their dinner plates. “I think you did steal that car. At the very least, you lied. Tell me why and I might take you seriously again one day. Your parents not love you enough?”

Shifting uncomfortably, Murphy didn’t say anything at first. It was Emori who jumped in. “John makes more than I do and could afford a Tesla if he wanted.”

“Makes more than you? Of course he does, little sis. Everyone makes more than you. A freaking garbage truck driver does. You went to community college for god’s sake to get a secretary job.” A cackle escaped Otan’s horrid mouth. Murphy wanted to punch the guy but one glance from Emori told him that it wouldn’t be worth it. Though he really wanted to.

No one said anything for a long moment. Emori finally thought Otan was done. She hated watching her mother fawn over him, but that was better than him taking jabs at her. However, Otan wanted one last word. “Hey Murphy, I hear your parents are dead. Good thing, because if they saw who you were dating and heard about your half-assed place of work you consider a job, they’d probably wish they were.”

That was it. Emori could take laughter and comments from her mother about Gideon. She could take her father’s lack thereof of comments. She could take Otan poking fun at her job. She could take Otan taking a few light jabs at Murphy because Emori knew he had prepared himself for it. Emori could take a lot and had taken a lot. But she drew the line at Otan being downright cruel especially to John, who wasn’t even her boyfriend.

“Shut up!” Emori burst out, banging her hand on the table and making everyone jump. “Shut up, shut up, shut up! Stop being mean to John. If you’re trying to hurt me, just say the words directly. No point going through him because he’s not even my boyfriend!” There, she had said it. Murphy looked shocked as he did not expect Emori to be the one to spill their secret. He had been doing his best all night to keep quiet about it, making sure he got their story right and said all the perfect things. Same as at Raven’s Christmas party. Emori was always good with keeping things under cover (like their boss’ retirement surprise party). Murphy was shocked, though he slowly began to understand why she said what she said. 

All Emori’s family members spoke at once. While Otan’s retort was a name-call, Olga and Nic’s were more directed towards the truth Emori had just spilled. “I knew it!” Olga said, clearly ready to say more. Luckily, Nic’s words ran over his wife’s. 

"Pardon?" Nic stared at his daughter. "Murphy's not your boyfriend?"

Emori shook her head and sadly looked at Murphy. "No he's not. He's just my coworker at the office and we’re just friends. We agreed to be each other's fake dates to holiday parties this year because being alone for those types of things is absolute crap. But you wouldn't know what that's like because you and mom met in high school and have been in love ever since. And even though Otan has a new girlfriend every Christmas it seems, at least he never had trouble finding someone wanting to spend time with him! You all pity me over Gideon dumping me and that's fine but don't expect me to bounce back happy and with the same expectations as Otan every single goddamned time! I’m not my brother, I’m not working a seven figure job and I don’t want to be like him! Why can’t you just accept that and stop  _ bothering _ me?" The hardwood floor screeched in protest as Emori pushed back her chair and left the table without another word. Otan leaned over and whispered something to Allie, then let out a quiet laugh. Murphy didn't know what to do, but decided that going after Emori was the smartest bet.

As he stood up, he stared Otan down. “Just because she’s not making the same payroll as you, doesn’t mean she’s not as smart as you. Hell, she’s probably smarter. Emori’s creative and fun and always knows how to make me laugh. She looks hot in basically everything she’s ever worn and you’d be lucky to have half of her level of compassion. Just so you know,” added Murphy. He didn’t want to make a bad impression on himself in front of Emori’s parents but something needed to be said. He didn’t even care to mention about his parents, instead wanting to go after the girl he cared about.

Leaving the table Murphy followed Emori upstairs, guessing she was headed to her old bedroom. He knocked once and heard a faint call of ‘come in’, so he did. 

He found Emori by spotting the two feet poking out of the blanket fort. “Can I join you?” He asked, crouching down and opening a flap of the entrance. 

Emori didn’t say anything but nodded. Murphy scooched in next to her and didn’t say anything either. Emori would talk to him when she was ready. Until then, he would sit next to her and be there for her. The fairy lights in the tent gave off a Christmas-y glow, one that made Murphy feel safe and warm, despite what had just gone down in the living room.

Taking a deep breath, Emori looked at the man sitting next to her. “What happened downstairs, well I’m sorry. My parents can be a lot and I’m sorry that you had to watch me lose it on them.”

“It’s okay.” Murphy placed his hand on top of Emori’s, which was resting on the ground next to her. “When my mom and dad were alive, our Christmases were just as eventful. More yelling in anger and throwing of things, but still eventful. I get it.”

Their fingers intertwined and Emori didn’t know what else to say. Everything she had said downstairs, well she meant it. There was only one thing left to say, something she should’ve said ages ago.

“I love you,” Emori whispered. She didn’t know if Murphy heard but it didn’t matter. “I love you.”

Murphy’s heart was jumping out of his chest. “You love me,” he said, stupidly. 

“Yes. I’ve loved you for a long time I think. I first realized it when we stayed late last February on Valentine’s Day because the photocopier broke. You told me to go enjoy my night but I didn’t have anywhere to go so I stayed. We ate chocolate and whined about how horrible ‘love day’ was for everyone who wasn’t in love. I loved you when you told me that love wasn’t really your thing. My heart kinda just realized that you and me, we think alike. I didn’t think love was my thing after Gideon. But seeing you on the floor covered in printer ink and messy hair, well that made my heart do a double take.” Emori’s heart did the same thing now as it had done back then. She wondered if he was going to say it back. Would he say it back? Were the clues she had picked up on just fake? Was it all part of the fake-dating pact? Emori didn’t know and she wouldn’t be sure unless Murphy did something. 

Murphy’s mind was a mess but one thing rang out, loud and clear. He loved Emori. He loved his coworker, the girl who brought him coffee and listened to him complain about the photocopier. She had put up with his friends for a whole night and even made it so that Raven wanted to meet up with her again, with or without Murphy. Everyone loved her and he did too. Now he just needed to express that to the girl he loved. 

Without another thought, Murphy leaned over and pressed his lips softly to Emori’s. She was surprised but didn’t pull away. Instead she laid her hand on his chest and deepened the kiss. It was sweet and gentle, everything that Emori had hoped it would be. Their first kiss had been hot but this was something even better.

When Murphy finally pulled away because he needed oxygen, he took a moment to stare at Emori. The way her hair fell naturally to frame her face. The way she smiled shyly but confidently nonetheless. He loved everything about her and if she was willing, he couldn’t wait to get to know her even better.

“I love you too,” he said. “I was going to say it but decided to kiss you instead. I’ve loved you since that night too, but I stupidly continued to date girls that weren’t you. While all along, you were the one I wanted. For Christmas, for forever, same deal.”

“I’m glad you did. Kiss me, not date other girls, that is. Though maybe dating other girls made us both realize what we really wanted.” Emori tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. They breathed together, waiting for their heart rates to slow before anything else was said.

It was Murphy who spoke finally. “So what now?”

Emori shrugged. “We go tell my parents that we’re actually dating? I mean, they’re confused enough. Let’s just make it worse.”

“Sounds good to me.” Murphy was game for anything Emori wanted. “Do we spend Christmas together?”

“If you want to, I do too.”

“Good. I want to.” 

“Okay.” Another smile from Emori, then she suddenly realized Murphy had plans. “What about your friends’ turkey dinner?”

Murphy shrugged. “I can cancel,” he started to say, but Emori shook her head.

“No way. You’re going. No point ditching your friends for the coworker you told them four days ago you weren’t going to ever date.”

“You heard that?!” Letting out a whoosh of breath, Murphy shook his head. “I thought you were passed out on the couch when they called.”

“I was. But you left your phone on the coffee table and I thought it was mine when I got up the next morning. Because you have no lock on your screen, I was able to open it and may have scrolled back a bit.” 

Murphy gaped at Emori. “You little sneak,” he said, and began to tickle her. She shrieked with laughter and lightly batted his hands away. “Well you can see how great that turned out. Everyone but Octavia, Levitt and Jordan know you and love you, so I’m sure Bellamy is cool if you come. What’s one more when there’s already like fifty of us?”

Snuggling up to his side, Emori nodded. “I like that plan.” 

Murphy quickly texted Bellamy, then pocketed his phone. Somewhere in Emori’s room, her clock beeped. “Hey, it’s Christmas Day now,” Murphy said, checking his watch. “Merry Christmas  _ girlfriend _ ,” he said to her in a low voice with a wink.

“Merry Christmas  _ boyfriend _ ,” Emori said back, a smile lighting up her face. They shared another soft kiss, before laying back in Emori’s blanket fort. The fairy lights twinkled above their heads and even though it was bitterly cold outside, there was nothing but warmth flowing between Murphy and Emori.

Later they would explain everything to Emori’s parents and Otan and Allie. Later they would go see their friends who had already accepted Emori as one of their own. Later they would have a snowball fight to humour Jordan but really love it themselves. Later they would spend Christmas Day Eve with people who loved them.

But right now, Murphy and Emori were content with spending time in each other’s arms. They had forever ahead of them and that was all Murphy wanted. He had gotten his Christmas wish and more. Emori was better than any gift because she was his whole world. Who knew that fake-dating would end up this way? Not them, not in a million years. Though neither Murphy or Emori would change it for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this sweet fluffy (with light angst) Christmas fic and thank you for reading. Happy holidays!
> 
> If you liked this fanfic, checkout the others in the collection as well! They can be found at this link [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Chopped_Holiday_Trope_Exchange)
> 
> Find me on Tumblr [@thedefinitionofendgame](https://thedefinitionofendgame.tumblr.com/) :)


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